1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for controlling consumer electronics device by using a wireless personal area network (PAN).
2. Description of the Related Art
In related art, wireless communication using infrared (IR) light is used to control consumer electronics devices. However, research has recently been conducted on technologies for controlling consumer electronics devices by using radio frequency (RF).
For example, technologies for controlling various consumer electronics devices with low power consumption in a wireless PAN defined in the IEEE 802.15.4 standard are defined in the Zigbee radio frequency for consumer electronics (RF4CE) standard.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a remote control (RC) PAN according to the Zigbee RF4CE standard.
As shown in FIG. 1, a TV remote controller (RC), a TV, a digital versatile disc (DVD), and a multi-function RC (MRC) constitute a PAN 1, the MRC, a compact disc (CD), and a CD RC constitute a PAN 2, and a DVD RC, the TV, the DVD, and the MRC constitute a PAN 3. The MRC, which is a controller node for controlling various devices, may control the TV, the CD, and DVD. In the RC PAN, target nodes, such as the TV, the DVD, and the CD, may create PANs by themselves, and other target nodes or controller nodes may participate in corresponding PANs by pairing with target nodes that manage the PANs. In the RC PAN, a structure of a frame for communication between nodes is defined in the Zigbee RF4CE standard. FIG. 2 illustrates such a structure.
As such, RF communication used to control consumer electronics devices has no linearity unlike IR communication. An MRC capable of controlling various devices may be easily applied as software to a smartphone and the like.
However, since the coverage area of a wireless PAN is typically about 100 M, if a user is far from his or her home beyond the coverage area, a consumer electronics device used by the user may not be controlled. Since various control modules are recently installed as hardware/software in mobile phones such as smartphones, there is a demand for a method of remotely controlling a consumer electronics device according to an existing wireless PAN technology, without adding a separate function to the consumer electronics device.